~~The Ahwahnee Hotel is a National Historical Landmark .
The Ahwahnee is the original Native (Red Indian) word for Yosemite Valley.
~~~According to legend, Lady Astor, American-born and England's first female
Member of Parliament, visited the Yosemite Valley in the early 1920s. She
registered at its venerable Sentinel Hotel but was horrified when she saw her
unheated room and primitive amenities. She promptly checked out and returned
to town. In response, Stephen T. Mather, director of the National Parks
Service, ordered the Yosemite Park & Curry Co., Yosemite's concessionaire, to
replace the Sentinel with a first-class hotel.
~~~It resulted in the Ahwahnee. Constructed amid numerous design changes,
construction delays, and contract disputes, the hotel was finally opened on
July 14, 1927, seven months late and substantially over budget.
~~~~ Considered one of the greatest and most beautiful National Parks in
America, Yosemite National Park is known for its sheer granite cliffs and
spectacular springtime waterfalls. The valley is most impressive (and least
crowded) in spring, fall or winter.
~~~When Thom was only 30 years old, he won a contest over 2,600 other
contestants to the National Park Service "Arts for the Parks" contest. This
is the painting that won and his entry was chosen over all the other
submissions (1985). This launched him into National view and started his
upward spiral into being the Nation's #1 Artist. This image was used for the
1989 National Parks Stamp program This is the ONLY Kinkade that was made into
a stamp.
